Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Kennedy's Misguided Push Against Antidepressants; Why Do We Keep Getting Virus Spread Wrong?
Stat: Kennedy's Approach To Antidepressant Deprescribing Is Deeply Misguided
I recently helped a woman in her early 60s taper off fluoxetine (often known by the brand name Prozac), which she had taken for over 35 years, followed by bupropion (aka Wellbutrin), which she had taken for over a decade. But Kennedy’s initiative conflates that genuine clinical need with claims unsupported by evidence — and some that are actively dangerous. (Jonathan Slater, 5/13)
The Atlantic: A Foundational Myth About Hantavirus
Knowing how a virus spreads is essential to public health, but people keep getting it wrong. (Joseph Allen, 5/12)
Stat: Air Conditioning Is A Medical Necessity For People With Chronic Disease
Clinicians, community leaders, and public health workers often advise people with chronic diseases such as diabetes to use air conditioning or go to an air-conditioned building. But that advice presumes that cooling is actually affordable and available. (Charles E. Leonard and Anthony Nicome, 5/13)
Stat: Marty Makary, The Worst FDA Commissioner In 25 Years
I have covered the FDA for the past 25 years, and so I don’t say this lightly: Marty Makary was the worst commissioner in that time. (Matthew Herper, 5/12)
The New York Times: Dismantling Purdue Pharma Won’t Fix America’s Opioid Problem
The Purdue Pharma case is closed, but the opioid problem remains. (Benjamin Siegel, 5/13)
